Abstract
ABSTRACTThis article assesses the impact of the tensiometer on the consumption of groundwater and electric power in paddy cultivation in Indian Punjab, and its subsequent economic benefits. We find that compared to the continuous flooding method, the tensiometer-based application of irrigation reduces water and power consumption by 13%, cutting variable costs by 7% without any yield penalty. If 30% of the paddy area is irrigated following tensiometer-based schedules, then the state could save a total of 0.67 million ha m of water and 1516 million kWh of electric power in 2010–2025, with aggregate economic benefits of US$ 459 million.
Highlights
Over the past five decades, Indian agriculture has undergone significant transformation and experienced remarkable progress, making the country food-sufficient
The main benefit of the use of a tensiometer for irrigation scheduling is the savings in irrigation water and electric power, and saving in money spent by the state to provide tariff-free or subsidized electricity
These results are in conformity with those reported by Bhatt et al (2016). This leads us to conclude that the use of tensiometers can save irrigation water and electric power with no yield penalty
Summary
Over the past five decades, Indian agriculture has undergone significant transformation and experienced remarkable progress, making the country food-sufficient. The adoption of high-yielding seeds, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides on a large scale, coupled with investments in irrigation, infrastructure and markets, have played a key role in this transformation. This process has been accompanied by the degradation of natural resources such as land and water. CIPT and PAU have been promoting tensiometers for irrigation scheduling in paddy crops in the state of Punjab since 2010. Water in the yellow band indicates that the crop needs irrigation. As paddy is a rainy-season crop in the state and precipitation alters the level of water in the tensiometer, it changes the need and timing of irrigation
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